


Sylaise and Pride

by browneyedwitch



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Elvhenan, Deep Roads (Dragon Age), Elvhen Pantheon, F/F, F/M, Moon People, Scaled Ones (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:15:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25100749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/browneyedwitch/pseuds/browneyedwitch
Summary: “Well, have you ever heard the story of Sylaise and Pride?”“No. Is it a Dalisha story?”“No. It’s forbidden text in Andruil’s land.” Ashara pauses and checks the trees. “Those damn flying foxes are always listening.” She lowers her voice to a whisper, “there’s this super old, prophesied tale written by the twin Gods, Dirthamen and Lethanavir.”“We’re not supposed to know of the others,” Emori says quickly. If caught, it is punishable by death to know, study or read any books of the elven gods.“Do you want to know about the blood crystal or what?”She looks around for flying foxes and then nods, “okay, who’s Sylaise?”
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas, Fen'Harel | Solas/Original Female Character(s), Solas/Sylaise (Dragon Age)
Kudos: 11





	Sylaise and Pride

Emori loves her parent’s shop. The smells, the trinkets of love, wealth and fortune, strength and luck. There are countless books, crystals, potions and elixirs ranging from healing to mischief, rare plants, and handmade enchanted jewels. She runs a hand along the wood of her mother’s desk and stops when she reaches a boxed unopened. 

Uncle Pyral sends another shipment of merchandise, this time from the Deep Roads. It just came this morning and she’s been dying to open it with mom. But father told her no. That she has to wait until later this evening because he’s expecting a private client and he needs her to go into the village to pick up a box of jewels for mom. Emori plans on making way there now, but taking a quick peek at the new treasures won’t hurt. 

A sharp talon extends from her fingertip and she slices the packaging tape open. 

She smiles as she pops open the box and sees an assortment of items carefully wrapped in different fabrics. She takes the first that she sees and unravels it: a golden volcanic aurum crystal rumored to only be found in the dangerous western fjords. _Wow._ She covers the item and places it back. Excited to see what else he sent. She unswathes each of the others to discover fade-green veridium, black opal, sky blue larimar, dark blue benitoite lyrium, pale pink poudretteite and the ever changing alexandrite. She admires each one in awe. The last is wrapped in soft white dragon webbing and tied with leather for additional security. There’s a note attached, it says: 

**_“Your wish is my command, brother. A lot of people are going to be looking for this._**

**_P.S. Don't forget, I want to hear all about this vision of yours as payment. -P”_ **

Emori, both confused and fascinated, picks it up and unravels it. Her jaw falls open at the sight of a small teardrop crystal as red as blood. It’s warm, even through the webbing, the point at the bottom is as sharp as a blade. _Gods it’s so beautiful_. She’s lost in the deep eddying inside of the glass, she can almost hear a hum, an echo of sorts-

The door upstairs creaks open. The footsteps that follow are quick, there’s at least four people coming down. She sheathes the blood crystal and slips it into her clutch. She closes the box and jets out the front door without being seen.

It’s a scorching hot summer day in _Andurfelen._ There is hardly any breeze coming from the northern mountains, which is a bad sign for the farmers up on the hill. But that’s the price they pay to live in quiet. The far west border is a shipping doc from the Volca Sea. Across the northern ocean are poisonous uncharted islands. Traveling north is unheard of unless you are one of the Nightblood, and far south is a heavy mix of drama between the other elven gods and dark elves of the forgotten lands; their borders are constantly being attacked. So staying put on the coast is good with her. 

Emori is a part of Clan Alhavenlan, the second Dalisha clan formed under the Goddess Andruil and her first Ghi'lan'na'in. There are twelve Clans of many names that make up the forests all over Thedas. But Clan Alhavenlan was given its name, “one who masters the wild,” because it is the place all Nightblood warriors from all clans meet. Each child that desires to be a warrior of Andruil slices a cut down their left cheek, if their blood is black, they begin training as a Nightblood. If their blood is red, they receive a second cut down their right cheek and are given the honor to carry the weapons and essentials of the Nightblood, others find talents in smithing or meal-hunting. 

Each year Master Mathalin Alhavenlan takes thousands of men and women through the weathered pass and into the Feral Fjords to undergo the Great Hunt. Those who return are marked with _vallaslin_ warrior tattoos to prove their worth of pledging their lives to fight for the Huntress. This blood ritual binds their souls to the will of the Andruil for eternity. No take backs. A sacred, sweet sacrifice of duty. Blood for blood.

It’s why Emori has to go into the village for the jewel shipment. The warriors arrive tonight and mom hasn’t made enough strength, constituting, and willpower enchantments to sell. 

They live on a hill a little distance from the village. It’s not a far walk, there’s a white stone path that leads directly into the merchant markets. You can see it from the angle of the trail. Aravels of different cloth stand like a sea of colors as ships on a land doc. They all have the same design: Andruil’s drawn bow, arrows pointing down, with halla horns growing from the upper and lower limbs. A breeze coming off the arrow. 

Some aravels are filled with fresh meats, others trinkets and jewels, weapons, armor, and fabrics. Ashara’s aravel is violet, decorated in feathers and colorful stones. She’s smiling a crooked smile as Emori approaches, reaching for the box of jewels.

“Here comes trouble,” she says playfully but slightly disappointed. “I thought mom would be by.” 

Emori takes the box and grins. “What, you’re not happy to see me?” she teases, knowing that her mom is Ashara’s mom too. She just wants to check in. 

“Always a pleasure seeing the sister I never wanted,” she retorts. 

Emori laughs and pays her. 

“Tell dad I need a reading.” Ashara tosses the gold into a metal box gracefully. She’s pretty. A few years older than Emori, mid twenties, oval face and chocolate skin. Her eyes are small but bright and blue as a cloudless sky. Her full lips are carefully painted with deep brown lipstick. “My love life is _phew,_ not doing so good these days.”

“What happened to Oruvun?” 

“Hah, loser. I canned that mamas boy.” 

Emori grins. Ashara travels to each of the four western clans, it’ll probably be another couple of months before they see her again. Andurfelen is a bit north, out of the way of the others but it’s a part of her merchants contract. “When do you head back out?” 

“After the Nightbroots head up the mountain. I’ll see what I can sell first. And you know everyone needs a little loving before they go and commit blind suicide.” She waves a hand and rolls her eyes. “No disrespect to the Huntress, but why like that, you know?”

Emori turns to the horizon, there’s a thick cloud of black fog above the mountains. They others say when the warriors enter the pass, the fog takes away their vision and sense of smell. The creatures that linger in there…not even the ones that return talk about them. “What do you think is in there?” 

“Girl you do not want to know.” 

Her interest peeks. “What do you know?”

Ashara looks over to her companions then leans in close and whispers, “a wife of a Nightblood is a customer of mine, she said they call them the scaled ones. Wyvern that can stand on two feet and speak their own language.” She shakes her head. “They’re evil creatures that do unspeakable things. Stay far, far away from there, little bird.” 

Emori nods, staring into the eerie horizon. Between the tall Laysh Redwood trees, deep in the Wandering Hills there’s a slight parting in the rock where the cave opens into a tunnel of pure darkness, the Clan calls it ‘Tallo’s Point.’ No one knows who Tallo is. 

“Wouldn’t dream of going. Can I ask you something else?” 

“Sure can.” 

She turns her head to Ashara, who's leaning into her aravel in anticipation. 

“Have you ever come across any red jewels?” 

“Red?” Ashara raises a brow. “No. Why?”

“I was thinking about all the crystal and jewel shipments we’ve gotten over the years. So many beautiful colors but we never receive anything red. Are they rare?” 

“I wouldn’t say rare. More like non-existent.” 

“Oh, thats a shame. Sounds like it’d be pretty.” She couldn’t show her. Ashara is her adopted sister, but every merchant on aravel row is a member of the Lords of Fortune Guild. They're the best treasure hunters in Thedas that travel to the most dangerous caves and dungeons...they even pursue monster bounties and steal from rich collectors. It would take just one word to the wrong person..

Ashara stares a moment, her mouth opens and then closes. “Well I did hear of a blood crystal in the Deep Roads. I thought it was just a myth. But the dwarves say it's missing.” 

“Oh?” Emori acts surprised. “Tell me about it.”   
  


Ashara grins, “I’ll walk you home. Give me a sec.” She takes the money from the box and slips it into her shoulder bag. She grabs her bow and arrows and fastens them to her back. 

“Hey I’ll be back in a half, make sure you’re selling for the right value. No deals!” 

_“You got it boss!”_

Ashara comes beside Emori and places her hand gently on her back in greeting. She didn’t like touching or hugs. “You ever thought of joining up with me? The guild could use someone with your talents. Could help your parents, too.” 

Emori is a shapeshifter, hence the little bird nickname. “The owl is not so little anymore,” she replies. “And still very...uncontrolled. I guess that’s a good word for it.” 

“You haven’t been to class?” 

“I’ve been expelled from mage school. I, well, _she,_ tore the elder’s eyes out when she called me a filthy pigeon for shitting on her desk. I flew out the window and hadn’t come back for weeks.”

Ashara burst into laughter. “You’re kidding!”

“I wish I was.” 

“Where did you go?”

Emori shrugs. “I can’t remember.” 

“They just forgave you, nothing more? Just expulsion?”

“Free healing elixirs and treatments with mom for life. Plus, dad has saved both her husband and son's life more than once. She feels her debt is paid.” 

“Sounds like you caught a deal.” 

“Yeah, I’m lucky Ghi’lan’na’in didn’t sentence me to cuts.”

Ashara gave a weak smile. “Where were we on the red crystal thing?” 

She instantly feels guilty for reminding her of the past. The knife scars on her stomach, arms and legs are still visible under her sheer and colorful bohemian appearance. “Uh, it’s missing? What is it?” 

“Well, have you ever heard the story of Sylaise and Pride?” 

“No. Is it a Dalisha story?” 

“No. It’s forbidden text in Andruil’s land.” Ashara pauses and checks the trees. “Those damn flying foxes are always listening.” She lowers her voice to a whisper, “there’s this super old, prophesied tale written by the twin Gods, Dirthamen and Lethanavir.”

“We’re not supposed to know of the others,” Emori says quickly. If caught, it is punishable by death to know, study or read any books of the elven gods. 

“Do you want to know about the blood crystal or what?” 

She looks around for flying foxes and then nods, “okay, who’s Sylaise?” 

“Let’s talk about Tallo first.” 

“Is that Pride?” 

“No, he was pride’s brother. Pride’s real name is Solas.” 

Emori lifted her brows. “Now I’m confused.” 

Ashara rolls her eyes. “Tallo and Solas were brothers, the first moon men that walked the earth after Mythal placed the moon in the sky.”

“Mythal is like the Queen of the...?”

“Wow girl, you need to pick up an illegal book from time to time. I am exhausted already.” She softly taps the itchy microbraids on her head and sighs, “Elven history 101 in two short minutes, okay. Mythal and Elgar’nan rule Thedas, they created the moon and the sun, and basically everything. When the sun touched the ground, so did their children. Sylaise of Fire, the phoenix that flew from the first erupted volcano, brought rebirth to the lands. Andruil of the Earth created trees and flowers and mountains, you know. Dirthamen of Water filled the oceans and brought rains for growth. He records and keeps all knowledge throughout history. Falon’din of the wind brought shape and life to everything. He formed the gates to the Beyond, and swore his life to the spirits in the afterlife. He can see the future, like your dad, but he’s way better at it. He can see a millena in advance. So Falon’din and Dirtheman as young chickens in awe of their gifts, wrote the prophecies of the world. Sylaise & Pride was one of them.” 

“Wow. So they’re the _Evanuris_?” 

Ashara smiled. “So you do know something. But yeah basically, there’s Elgar’nan’s brothers June and Geldauran. June gave us legit life, putting spirits into elves. But he’s MIA. And there needs to be a balance. A death to every form of life. Geladuran is that darkness. The Ice King of the Underworld, leader of the dark elves, far south of here and not our problem.”

“How do Tallo and Solas fit into all of this?” 

“Like I said, moon brothers, wolf shifters. They had a clan in the Frostback, down South. Born when the moon lifted into the air for the first time, one white wolf, one black. They were dangerous. Meant to be guardians of Mythal and Elgarnan, lone wolves. But only Solas saw reason. Tallo wanted his own pack, his own people. So when Solas heeled at Mythal’s feet, Tallo made his way to the North on his own trail until he hit water. We’re basically where he stopped. He made camp, fell in love with a savage woman and turned her into a wolf. They had a family, and the cycle went on for years until one day Sylaise just woke up.”

“The phoenix?”

“After the phoenix destroys the world, she returns to sleep in the eye of the volcano until it’s time for her to wake again. So, when the titan in the Deep Roads shook the lands below her, they were signals to the phoenix to kill what’s causing destruction to the earth.”

“Titans,” Emori repeated. “They created the physical earth, the stone?”

“You got it. But that’s a story for the dwarves.” She takes a chug from her canteen of water tied to her clutch, seals it before letting it drop. “Sylaise killed most of the moon men with the small eruption. The explosion happened when Tallo was on the other side of the Fjords with hunters. When he was able to cross back into the land, there were only burned bodies, all untraceable. Tallo and the hunters tried to start over. But Tallo was too heartbroken from losing his family. He committed suicide, trust fell right into the eye of the volcano.”

“Oh shit.” 

“Yeah, over time the volcano just went dormant. When Solas heard the news, he went to the eye himself. But all that was left in the dark soot was a warm blood crystal in the shape of a teardrop. Said to hold the animalistic souls of both Tallo and Sylaise. Solas avenged his brother, killed the titan that struck the lands of the moon men, and hid the jewel in the Deep Roads. Vowing to kill Sylaise the moment he sets eyes on her. So, one day, last week to be exact, the dwarves that kept it safely hidden for one million years, let it go, leaving it to find the hands of the true vessel of Sylaise, the lady of the sky, phoenix of rebirth, the white wolf, the legend gives her many names. Here’s the kicker, this reborn Sylaise, is the true soulmate of Solas, his alpha mate. Even if he wants to kill her for destroying his brother, there’s nothing that will let him. The prophecy states that they fall in love and destroy the world to be reborn one last time.” 

“Wow.” 

“It’s beautifully tragic.”

“Why do they want to destroy the world?” 

“Only the twins know. I’m sure the ancient text is more specific, but it’s heavily guarded by Dirthamen.. The other Gods and dark ones have been trying to get their hands on it forever. It’s why they’re at war.” 

“How will the blood crystal and the vessel know they found each other?” 

“I don’t know. But it’s out. And the guild wants it real bad, there’s even a secret kill order out. Kill whoever has it. Just make sure it gets back to headquarters.” 

“What do they want with it?” Emori is beet red, overwhelmed by what Uncle Pyral sent them. Is she supposed to find this vessel? Does her father know who it is?

**_P.S. Don't forget, I want to hear all about this vision of yours as payment_ **

Vision. Right. Did her father see the end of the world? Who is he meeting today? A weird sense of fear shook over her.

  
She lunged in to hug Ashara, “thank you, thank you for everything. I have to go!” 

Emori starts up the hill, leaving Ashara confused behind her. 

“Uh, you’re welcome?” Ashara calls back. “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine! See you at dinner tonight! Love you!” 

Everything is not fine. She is running, she can see the front door to her father’s shop in the distance. It’s on the ground level of a thick, Laysh Redwood. There is a spiral staircase that exits the roof of the hut and wraps around the tree all the way up, just below the green leaves, you can see the two huts hanging from the branches. The lights are still off. 

She pushes open the door to the ‘White Phial,” and freezes. 

Her father is slumped over his desk on a pile of tarot cards, his neck is cut and bleeding out onto the floor.

The smell of rot hits her nose fast but she doesn’t cover it. She can’t move her hands, her legs. Tears are falling down her cheeks but she can’t move her lips to make a sound. “Mom,” she mouths. 

She makes to move her legs but they’re jello and she stumbles forward to her knees. Behind her father, the VIII Death tarot card, an image of a fire red phoenix exploding from a volcano, lava disbursing into wings is pinned to the wall with a dagger. Her father’s blood slowly trickles From the dagger. 

“Mom,” she tries to yell again but there’s only a small croak. “Mommm,” she screams, loud finally, but no response.   
  


“Okay, since when do we hug-“ Ashara pushes open the door to the shop, “Oh my god,” she yells. She is standing behind her, just as paralyzed. 

Emori is sobbing now, she lifts her hands to her sister. 

“Hey, hey, you’re okay. You’re okay,” it is hard to believe her. Tears are streaming down her face. “Gods no. Vunlea!!,” she screams, calling for mom, still nothing. 

Emori can only fall into her chest. Only feel some sort of comfort in holding something. Ashara is looking at everything, her father, the card. Spirits are stirring, gathering around them. One spirit sits in her father’s chair as if his body wasn’t there. No definition to his face, just a shadow of pale white. Attracted to the death of a medium. 

Another spirit sits at the table in front of him. Suddenly another two spirits appear by the door. “Wha, what are they doing,” Emori sniffs. 

“They’re going to tell us what happened,” Ashara whispers, holding her close.

  
  


_“Thank you for seeing me, Taminan,” the woman spirit says._

_“It is my pleasure,_ _Ghi'lan'na'in,” the spirit replies, his voice identical to her father._

Emori’s eyes are wide. Ghi’lan’na’in is the Commander of all twelve Dalisha Clans. She is expected tomorrow to send off the Nightblood, but she’s never spoken with her father before? She doesn’t think? Her heart thrums in her chest. 

_The smell of aromatic incense burns in the air as the shuffle of cards echoes in the room._

_“Hold the cards in your hands for a moment. Take a deep breath, clear your mind of negativity. What do you wish to ask the cards? Ask yourself. Then say it outloud.”_

_There is a long eerie moment of silence._

_Ghi’lan’na’in breathes, “Andruil desires the location of the blood crystal.”_

_“Tallo’s heart?” he says, flipping three cards. “Tis not a child’s tale?”_

_“No,”_ _Ghi'lan'na'in_ _replies. “The dwarves brought the crystal to the surface. Impossible to track with the number of underground thaigs and merchants. We can’t have that jewel in the wrong hands… any help you can offer will be rewarded greatly.”_

_She places what sounds like a large satchel of gold on the table._

_Her father skims the cards. “It is with an elven woman...by mistake perhaps?”_

_“What woman?”_

_“It’s unclear, there is some sort of enchantment, a necklace around her neck is shielding her from my sight. Hmm.” He places three more cards, another three more. “Fair skin..short dark hair..yellow eyes. She found the crystal in a boxed shipment. It-”_

_There is a silence. Emori is clutching the blood diamond and the jewel around her neck tightly. Her father knew. Her father knew what she did. The spirit flutters eyes flutter over to the box on her mother’s desk and back to the cards. He flips three more. She’s running to the South with it, through the forests, to the protection of the Dragon Queen.”_

_“Mythal,” Ghi'lan'na'in hisses, slamming her hand to the table. “Do you have a name for this yellow eyed woman?? A location of where she is right now?”_

_He flips three cards. “I, I see a name, of someone she’s meant to be but isn’t yet. The crystal will lead her to her fate, of who she is and was always meant to be.”_

_“Stop speaking in riddles Tamlin!”_ _Her foot is shaking in agitation, the jewels bouncing with each lift._

_“Sylaise.”_

_“Sylaise.”_

_“Yes I can see it clearly.”_

_“What do you see?” She growls._

  
  


_He places a card down. “Sylaise, whose heat rivals Elgar’nan’s light.”_

_He places another down. “Sylaise, whose temples rival Mythal’s cities.”_

_He places another down. “Sylaise, whose breath rivals Andruil’s spear.”_

_Another. “Sylaise, whose skill rivals June’s craft.”_

_Another. “Sylaise, whose fire cannot be quenched.”_

_He places two more cards, moving them forward for her view. “Many will follow. Many will rebel from their own in hopes of gaining her favor.” And then the last card. “She is the phoenix, she is rebirth, the lady in the sky, the one that brings the end so that we can begin again.”_

_“The end of what?”_

_“Everything.”_

_Emori watches as Ghi’lan’na’in removes a blade sheathed in her leg armor. Her father straightens his back. “You are wrong.” She stands. “No breath will rival Andruil’s spear. No winged bitch will bring the end of the world.”_

_“You don’t have to do this, Ghi’lan’na’in.” Her father says calmly. “You have another path. You can be more than you are with the right choices.”_

_“Andruil directs my choices, seer. This is her will. Do you have any last words?”_

_He turns the last three cards in his hands towards himself and grins. “I suppose you are right.” He places them on the table for her to see. “When the night is dark and you are running in fear for your life. The hunter will catch you. And you will die a slow, miserable death, Ghi’lan’na’in. Andruil won’t be able to save you.”_

_The knife slices across his neck and he slumps forward._

_Emori jumps but Asahara holds her tight. The spirit portraying Ghi’lan’na’in stands and faces the two spirit guards at the door. “Go upstairs and throw his wife from over the ledge. If he has children, kill them. Then, go and find this yellow eyed bitch and bring her to me. Solas will hunt her when word spreads of this. Find him, too, alive. I’ll deal with Mythal.”_

_“Yes, Commander,” they say in unison._

_Ghi’lan’na’in walks over to the pile of cards and picks up the phoenix. She stabs it into the wall before spitting at the ground beside her father. The spirit disappears._

  
  


“She will start a civil war!” Ashara yells. 

Emori sits there, numb, quiet. She cringes when the spirits replay her mother’s screams. She pulls the crystal from her clutch and unravels it. 

“Ashara,” she mumbles.

Ashara’s eyes are bulging. “Sweet Elgar’nan’s balls, okay. Okay. That makes sense. Wow.” She covers it with her hand. “Wrap that up. Put that away. I need to get you out of here right now.”

She pulls Emori to her feet, but she’s dead weight, she can’t think, breathe. Emori weakly places her arm around her shoulder. Ashara lays her in the grass outside. “Just breathe, try to breathe.”  
  


She sinks to her back, eyes a total blur. 

Ashara’s silhouette is above her. “I’m going to bury them. I’m going to clean this up.” She kneels. “They’ll try to blame you for this, Emori. They’ll tie you to the tree and cut you 100 times. Better to make them think you all left. Alright?”

Emori says nothing.

“Alright. Just stay here, if anyone comes you call me. We're leaving. We’re going to take my aravel, and get the void out of here. Alright?”

Emori makes to nod but doesn’t move. Ashara disappears into the hut. 

Her father’s words repeat in her head over and over: 

**“** **_I see a name, of someone she’s meant to be but isn’t yet. The crystal will lead her to her fate, of who she is and was always meant to be._ ** **”**

**Author's Note:**

> So many ideas of where I want to go with this, once I get that together I'll post the next chapter (: 
> 
> Will update tags as I go. Thank you for reading, stay safe 
> 
> -G


End file.
